SO NOW WHAT?

I WISH I could tell you—and myself—that now that you’ve finished this book, you will never experience stress again, that you will never struggle with work-life balance, that every single goal you set will be a breeze, or that you will never fall into the comparison trap when you’re having a tough day. The annoying truth, of course, is that there are always going to be barriers to work through—uncomfortable situations that come up and threaten to knock us off balance. It’s part of the human experience.

What I can tell you is that you have many tools and resources at your disposal, and most of them are within you. My hope is that you’ll be able to take the game changers in this book and put them to work for you, so that you can more easily stay on a path that feels good and brings a sense of ease back into your life.

When you feel yourself struggling, go back to those vital signs we talked about in the first chapter. Check in with yourself about your:

Energy

Anxiety

Stress

Emotions

As you go down the list, do a little check-in. How do you feel? What’s causing you to feel that way? What feels in balance? What feels out of balance? What’s working? What’s not? What can you control? What’s out of your hands? Which game changers can help you feel like you’re more able to stand your ground or move in the direction you want to? Revisit that work-life balance pie chart if you need to.

At different times in our lives, we’ll find that we need to reevaluate and adjust our strategies. Some days we’re going to feel more successful than others, and that’s okay. When you need to get back in balance or back on track toward a goal, lean in to those tiny tweaks you can make. Don’t be afraid to start small. Those microscopic shifts can have a big impact. Also, remember to acknowledge your progress along the way.

Fad diets and fitness trends will come and go, but at the end of the day, you’re the expert on you, and your body is really smart—listen to it.